What Is a Cortado? (And How to Make One)

A cortado is one of those drinks that sounds fancy but is actually simple. If you have ever wanted a shot of espresso with a little smoothing without the flood of milk you get in a latte, this is your cup. I have made one nearly every afternoon for years, and it might be the most underrated drink on any coffee menu.

So what is a cortado, really? It is a small espresso drink made with a shot of espresso cut with just a little steamed milk, served in a little glass with just a thin layer of foam. Below I will break down the ratio, the glass, how it compares to a latte, and exactly how I make one at home.

Key Takeaways

• A cortado is espresso with a small amount of steamed milk, a roughly 1:1 to 1:2 ratio, served in a small 4 to 4.5 oz glass.
• The milk cuts the espresso’s acidity without drowning the flavor, so it tastes stronger than a latte.
• It carries only a thin layer of microfoam, not the thick cap you find on a cappuccino.
• You can make one at home with a double shot and a small splash of silky steamed milk.

What is a cortado?

A cortado is a small espresso drink made with a shot of espresso and a little steamed milk, roughly a 1:1 to 1:2 ratio, served in a 4 to 4.5 oz glass. It carries only a thin layer of microfoam. The name comes from the Spanish verb “cortar,” meaning to cut, because the milk cuts the espresso’s sharpness.

That word “cut” matters. The steamed milk softens the acidity and bitterness of the espresso without hiding it. You still taste the coffee first. The milk just rounds off the edges and adds a little sweetness.

In my experience, the cortado sits in a sweet spot most people never explore. It is stronger and more coffee-forward than a latte, but gentler than a straight shot. If you find espresso a touch too intense but a latte too milky and flat, the cortado is probably the drink you have been looking for.

The texture is thin and silky, not foamy. There is no latte art tower of foam here, just a small glass of warm, balanced coffee you can drink in a few minutes.

Cortado vs latte, cappuccino, and macchiato

The main difference between a cortado and other milk drinks is the amount of milk and foam. A cortado uses a shot of espresso with just a little steamed milk and barely any foam. A latte uses far more milk. A cappuccino balances espresso, milk, and thick foam. A macchiato is mostly espresso with just a dollop.

Here is how they stack up side by side.

Drink	Espresso to milk	Foam	Typical size
Cortado	~1:1 to 1:2	Thin microfoam	4 to 4.5 oz
Latte	~1:3 or more	Light foam	8 to 12 oz
Cappuccino	~1:1:1 (with foam)	Thick foam	5 to 6 oz
Macchiato	Mostly espresso	Small dollop	2 to 3 oz

The cortado vs latte question comes up the most, so let me be clear. A latte drowns the espresso in a large volume of steamed milk, which makes it creamy and mild. A cortado keeps the milk to a minimum, so the coffee stays front and center. Same espresso, very different drink.

A cappuccino sits closer in size but adds a thick, airy foam cap that changes the whole texture. A macchiato barely uses milk at all. If you want more detail on the milkier end of the spectrum, I dig into that in my cappuccino vs latte guide.

Think of it as a sliding scale of milk. Macchiato has the least, then cortado, then cappuccino, then latte with the most. The cortado lands right where the espresso and milk share the stage evenly.

How to make a cortado at home

Making a cortado at home takes about two minutes once your machine is warm. You pull a double espresso, steam a small volume of milk to a silky microfoam, and pour it in. No fancy latte art required. The goal is balance, not decoration.

Here is the process I follow every afternoon.

Pull a double espresso

Start with a double shot, around 36 grams of liquid espresso in the cup, from about 18 grams of ground coffee. Aim for a shot that tastes balanced and slightly sweet, not sour or harsh. If your shots run inconsistent, my espresso ratio guide walks through dialing this in.

Pull the shot directly into your cortado glass if it is heatproof, or into a small pitcher to pour over later. Fresh espresso matters here because there is not much milk to hide behind.

Steam the milk

Steam a small volume of milk, between one and two times your espresso, so about 40 to 70 milliliters. You want silky microfoam with a glossy, paint-like sheen, not stiff dry foam. Keep the steam wand shallow for a second to add a little air, then submerge it to spin the milk and break up any big bubbles.

Whole milk gives you the smoothest, sweetest result. I have found that stopping the steam around 130 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit keeps the milk sweet rather than scalded.

Pour and serve

Pour the steamed milk straight into the espresso, letting the two blend into a warm caramel color. Because the foam layer is so thin, you do not need much technique. Just pour steadily and stop once the milk roughly equals, up to about doubles, the espresso. Drink it fairly soon while the texture is at its best.

The cortado ratio and the right glass

The cortado ratio runs from about 1:1 to 1:2, one part espresso to one or two parts steamed milk, always far less than a latte. It is a small drink, only about 2.5 to 3.5 ounces, traditionally served in a little 4 to 4.5 oz Gibraltar glass. Keeping the serving small is what protects the proportions, since pouring in much more milk would quietly turn it into a mini latte.

The traditional vessel is the Gibraltar glass, a small tumbler that became so tied to the drink that some cafes just call the cortado a “Gibraltar.” The clear glass also shows off the color, which is a quick visual check. A well-built cortado looks like warm caramel, evenly blended top to bottom.

Why does the size matter so much? Because ratio is everything with a small drink. Add two extra ounces of milk to a cortado and you have quietly made a different beverage. Keeping the pour small keeps you honest.

If you do not own a Gibraltar glass, any small 4 to 4.5 oz tumbler or heatproof glass works fine. I used a random juice glass for my first year of making these and nobody complained. What matters is the volume, not the brand name on the bottom.

When to drink a cortado

The cortado shines as a mid-morning or afternoon coffee when you want real espresso flavor without a large milky drink. It is small enough to finish quickly, strong enough to feel like coffee, and light enough not to fill you up before a meal. In many Spanish and Portuguese cafes, it is a standard daily order.

I reach for one around two in the afternoon. A latte feels too heavy that late, and a straight espresso can be a bit sharp on an empty stomach. The cortado threads that needle. You get the lift and the flavor in a few civilized sips.

It also pairs beautifully with a small pastry or a square of dark chocolate. Because the milk is minimal, the coffee still cuts through sweet food instead of competing with it. If you are new to espresso drinks, the cortado is a gentle, low-commitment way in. One glass, two minutes, real coffee flavor.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a cortado and a latte?

The main difference is the amount of milk. A cortado uses a shot of espresso with only one to two parts steamed milk, in a small 4 to 4.5 oz glass, so the coffee flavor stays strong. A latte uses far more milk, usually three parts or more to one part espresso, making it creamier and much milder.

How much milk is in a cortado?

A cortado contains only a small amount of steamed milk, one to two times the volume of the espresso. For a double shot of about 36 grams, or roughly 36 mL, that is around 40 to 70 milliliters of milk. The milk is steamed to a thin, silky microfoam rather than a thick, airy foam cap.

Is a cortado stronger than a latte?

Yes, a cortado tastes stronger than a latte because it uses much less milk. Both drinks can start with the same double shot of espresso, but the cortado dilutes it far less. That keeps the coffee flavor bold and front and center, while a latte’s larger milk volume softens and mellows it considerably.

What size is a cortado?

A cortado is a small drink, typically served in a 4 to 4.5 oz glass. It is often poured into a Gibraltar glass, a small clear tumbler. The compact size is intentional, since it locks in the roughly 1:1 to 1:2 espresso to milk ratio that defines the drink and keeps it from becoming a latte.

Ready to sharpen your whole coffee routine? Dig into more brewing guides for step-by-step help with espresso, milk texture, and the drinks you make every day.